Albanese pledges $60m more to Ukraine and signs 10-year security pact with Zelenskyy in New York

# What happened

Anthony Albanese met Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York and announced an additional A$60m in support for Ukraine's defence and recovery. The leaders signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement intended to sustain cooperation during the war and into peacetime.

# The financial package and its breakdown

The A$60m commitment is allocated as follows:

• A$45m for Australian Defence Force equipment to support Ukraine's military needs.
• A$10m to an energy support fund for Ukraine.
• A$5m for humanitarian assistance.

Taken together with prior contributions, Australia's total support since Russia's 2022 invasion now stands at A$1.9bn.

# The security agreement and practical cooperation

The signed 10-year bilateral security agreement commits both countries to deepen defence ties. Key elements reported include:

• Exploration of cooperative training centres.
• Joint work on air-defence measures, missiles and drones.
• A commitment that the agreement will apply in wartime and continue into peacetime after the conflict ends.

Zelenskyy described the agreement as the strongest document between the two countries and said it would increase trade and security.

# Political and diplomatic context

Albanese was visibly emotional in public remarks, describing Zelenskyy as "my friend" and praising his leadership. He framed the support as part of upholding international law, arguing that allowing a powerful country to profit by breaching rules would set a damaging precedent.

Albanese plans to use a major speech at the UN and an address to the Atlantic Council to argue that the global institutions built after the second world war are not sufficient for today's challenges. He is expected to call for stronger partnerships and alliances in response to changing global dynamics.

# Related diplomatic moves

On the same day, Albanese also signed a strategic partnership with the Netherlands aimed at strengthening defence ties and seeking justice for MH17 victims. His wider New York engagements included public remarks on foreign policy and a push for alliances to address modern security threats.

# What this means for Australia and Ukraine

For Ukraine: the package adds material, energy and humanitarian support and formalises a longer-term security relationship with Australia, including training and potential joint production of defence systems.

For Australia: the agreement reinforces Canberra's commitment to Ukraine and signals a willingness to embed defence cooperation beyond immediate crisis response. It also feeds into Australia's broader diplomacy at the UN and regional security discussions.

# Immediate next steps

• Implementation of the 10-year security agreement, including deliveries of ADF equipment and scaled-up training.
• Allocation of the A$10m to Ukraine's energy support fund and disbursement of humanitarian assistance.
• Albanese's UN speech, which will outline his critique of the current international order and proposals for partnership-based responses to global challenges.

# Bottom line

The meeting produced a concrete A$60m package and a decade-long security agreement. The moves are both practical—equipment, training, energy and humanitarian funding—and symbolic, signalling Australia's long-term engagement with Ukraine and a broader reassessment of global governance at the UN level.